All through elementary school I was pretty much a straight A student, loved school, had friends the whole 9 yards. Middle school I became more withdrawn and my grades started reflecting this. High school came and that was it, I hated school, I didn’t care anymore about my grades or the work, the teachers nothing. I graduated went to college, which was expected of me, and after a years I joined the Marines, for a few reasons, one to just get away and also for the structure and disciple I felt I needed if I was ever going to accomplish anything in my life. My military career was short due to medical reasons, but I walked away with more self confidence, respect and knowledge about life and about myself in general than I ever did in school. I wondered how I could spend 12 years in school and learn more about life and myself within a year in the military. Looking back on it I realized that during my transition to middle school when everything was new and big and confusing I struggle. I struggled with trying to find myself, my place in this new environment, dealing with the changes physically, emotionally, and environmentally. During this time not one of my teachers offered to help, or asked if I was ok. They focused more on showing us that they were in charge and on the course work. That was my turning point and by the time I got to high school I had already built my walls and decided if they didn't care neither would I. During this time I saw how my parents were. They were both high school teachers at Woonsocket High School. I would accompany them to games, fundraisers and even dances. I saw how the students reacted to them, with respect. My mom would help her students find jobs, helped their families with food and finding resources. She listened to and respected all her students, even the ones that didn't respect her, which I think is the most amazing part. Anyone can care, respect, and want to help those who show the same to you but it takes a certain person to not give up on a student when they fight you every step of the way. My father was the same way. He was a teacher and a coach; he coached football, girl’s basketball, and a few others. He was devoted to his students and they knew he would do everything in his power to help them. He could also be tough on them, had rules and they knew that if they were not followed there were consequences and he did not bend when it came to that. Of course in the midst of my teenage years I did not understand the relevance of this, I just mostly wondered why my teachers weren't like that or at least why they weren't like that with me. I now appreciate and understand how important teachers like my parents are. I chose to become a science teacher for a few reasons. I have always loved science, before I even started school I would drive my mother crazy with questions about thunder and lightning, and the smoke from trucks and where does it go, and to her chagrin I was never satisfied with the "God is bowling" type answers. I became passionate about wildlife, conservation, the environment and the effect humans have on it. I returned to college and earned my bachelors in Wildlife Conservation Biology here at URI. I would say three quarters through my degree I looked into teaching but it would have required 2 more years and at that time I had just had my son and was about to begin my senior year, so I opted to just finish the degree I had. Unfortunately my original plan upon graduating was to join a research team studying and rehabbing cheetahs in Namibia, but backpacking through Africa with my infant son didn't seem like the most practical thing to do. I bounced around trying to find a job that was even slightly related to my degree but with the layoffs at DEM it was a futile effort. I took some time to reevaluate my life. I decided that as much as my dream was to go to Africa it wasn't feasible so I needed to revise my dream to fit my life. I came back to the teaching idea that I had contemplated years before and decided that if I cannot directly be a part of the research and the "green" movement, than I would be indirectly apart of it. I would do this by sharing my passion for wildlife, biology and science in general with the up and coming generations, the future of conservation and our environment. I want my students to learn to never give up on their dreams and even if they are not exactly what they envisioned they can still be the dream they wanted. I don't expect all of my students to love biology/science but my goal is for them to at least find one part of it that they find interesting, that they respect. So maybe when they go off and live their lives and see someone littering or happen upon a hurt bird, they will have a greater appreciation for what these things represent, and find themselves picking up that trash and helping that bird, all the while thinking back to that high school science class with that "crazy" teacher and laugh knowing that that's what Ms. Karas would have done.
Looking back on it I realized that during my transition to middle school when everything was new and big and confusing I struggle. I struggled with trying to find myself, my place in this new environment, dealing with the changes physically, emotionally, and environmentally. During this time not one of my teachers offered to help, or asked if I was ok. They focused more on showing us that they were in charge and on the course work. That was my turning point and by the time I got to high school I had already built my walls and decided if they didn't care neither would I.
During this time I saw how my parents were. They were both high school teachers at Woonsocket High School. I would accompany them to games, fundraisers and even dances. I saw how the students reacted to them, with respect. My mom would help her students find jobs, helped their families with food and finding resources. She listened to and respected all her students, even the ones that didn't respect her, which I think is the most amazing part. Anyone can care, respect, and want to help those who show the same to you but it takes a certain person to not give up on a student when they fight you every step of the way. My father was the same way. He was a teacher and a coach; he coached football, girl’s basketball, and a few others. He was devoted to his students and they knew he would do everything in his power to help them. He could also be tough on them, had rules and they knew that if they were not followed there were consequences and he did not bend when it came to that. Of course in the midst of my teenage years I did not understand the relevance of this, I just mostly wondered why my teachers weren't like that or at least why they weren't like that with me. I now appreciate and understand how important teachers like my parents are.
I chose to become a science teacher for a few reasons. I have always loved science, before I even started school I would drive my mother crazy with questions about thunder and lightning, and the smoke from trucks and where does it go, and to her chagrin I was never satisfied with the "God is bowling" type answers. I became passionate about wildlife, conservation, the environment and the effect humans have on it. I returned to college and earned my bachelors in Wildlife Conservation Biology here at URI. I would say three quarters through my degree I looked into teaching but it would have required 2 more years and at that time I had just had my son and was about to begin my senior year, so I opted to just finish the degree I had. Unfortunately my original plan upon graduating was to join a research team studying and rehabbing cheetahs in Namibia, but backpacking through Africa with my infant son didn't seem like the most practical thing to do. I bounced around trying to find a job that was even slightly related to my degree but with the layoffs at DEM it was a futile effort. I took some time to reevaluate my life. I decided that as much as my dream was to go to Africa it wasn't feasible so I needed to revise my dream to fit my life. I came back to the teaching idea that I had contemplated years before and decided that if I cannot directly be a part of the research and the "green" movement, than I would be indirectly apart of it. I would do this by sharing my passion for wildlife, biology and science in general with the up and coming generations, the future of conservation and our environment.
I want my students to learn to never give up on their dreams and even if they are not exactly what they envisioned they can still be the dream they wanted. I don't expect all of my students to love biology/science but my goal is for them to at least find one part of it that they find interesting, that they respect. So maybe when they go off and live their lives and see someone littering or happen upon a hurt bird, they will have a greater appreciation for what these things represent, and find themselves picking up that trash and helping that bird, all the while thinking back to that high school science class with that "crazy" teacher and laugh knowing that that's what Ms. Karas would have done.